Unit-multiple system of train control.



No. 670,898. Patented Mar. '26, [90L F. C. ESMDND.

UNIT MULTIPLE SYSTEM OF TRAIN CONTROL.

' (Application filed Apr. 10, 1900.) (I19 Modal.)

INVENTOR I /220224 BY (4 1. M.

Hi5 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT EEmE.

FREDERICK C. ESMOND, OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ESMOND ELECTRICTRACTION AND SIGNAL 00., OF WEST VIRGINIA.

UNIT-MULTIPLE SYSTEM OF TRAIN CONTROL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,898, dated March26, 1901. Application filed April 10, 1900. Serial No. 12,886. (Nomodelhv To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK O. EsMoND, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Unit-Multiple Systems of Train Control, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a unit-multiple systom for electric railwaysthatis, a system in which a train of cars may be controlled from any car ofthe train independently of the individual controlling system of everyother car in the train. I will describe such a system involving myinvention and then point out the novel features in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of the wiring of a carand the position of the controller on the car from which the train iscontrolled and before starting. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of aportion of the wiring of a car of the train, the switch between thesupply-conductor and car being open. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View of aportion of the wiring in a car of the train under control of the carshown in Fig. 1, the motor being connected with the controlled circuitand independent of a controller on the same car.

Similar letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in all thefigures.

A represents a trolley-wire or other form of electrical conductor, and Ba ground or return, which in this instance is a rail.

C represents a controller, and D a motor which is carried by the car.The current is received from the supply A through switch E and conductorE to the controller-arm, then from the positive side C of the controllerout through the negative side C through the motor D to ground B, throughconductor F and wheel F of the car.

In addition to the parts above referred to,

which show the ordinary way of supplying current to a motor, I providethe conductors G and H, which preferably extend from end to end of thecar. The conductor G is connected with the conductor E, so that when theswitch E is closed it contains current,

while the conductor H is connected with the negative side C of thecontroller and preferably forms part of the circuit between the negativeside of the controller and motor. Each car is provided as abovedescribed, and when the cars are coupled the adjacent ends of theconductors G and II on each car are coupled, so that (assuming that theswitches E of all the cars of the train are open with the exception ofone) current will be in the conductor G in all the cars, but cannot besupplied to the conductor II in the several cars except through acontroller. For example, assume that the drawings represent three carswhich are coupled together and the conductors G and II also coupled,with only one switch E (that of Fig. 1) closed between thesupply-conductor A and conductor G. The current will then pass throughthe switch E to the conductor G and will thus be in all the cars. Assoon, then, as the controllerarm is moved the current in the conductor Gwill pass into the conductor H and then into all the motors to theground or return. This is accomplished, it will be seen, by having thecontrollers on each car in parallel between 7 5 the conductors G and H,so that the current which is always maintained in the conductor G willhave to pass through some one controller before it can reach theconductor II, which is connected or forms part of the motor-circuit ineach car. The motors are also in this instance in parallel between theconductor H and ground or return B.

Should anything occur to render the controller on the controlling-car ofthe train inoperative, the current will be shut from all the motors ofthe train and cannot be supplied again except through anothercontroller. Should anything occur to the circuit between the supply andconductor G on the controlling-car, the current may be supplied byclosing the switch E on another car.

Although the switches E E E have been described as normally in openposition, the preferred posit-ion would be closed, as thereby theconductor G, extending through the train, would have better connectionwith the working conductorthat is to say, should any one of theconductors make poor contact with the working conductor A it would notaffect the continuous How of current to the motors, as the conductor Gfrom which the motor-current is derived has by the said preferredarrangement several con nections with the working conductor other thanthe one by which poor contact has been hypothecated, and by theplurality of such connections a perfect contact with the workingconductor is assured.

I do not describe or claim herein the system of train-lighting shown inthe drawings, as I have made the same the subject of a separateapplication for Letters Patent, filed June 2, 1900, Serial No. 18,880.

While I have described and illustrated my invention in connection withthe operation of railway-trains, to which it is particularly adapted, itwill be evident that it is usefully applicable to the operation of anysimilar set or series of motors or groups of motors which it may bedesired to synchronously control from any one of separated points, and Iwish it understood that the claims are intended to apply to and coverthe system of motor control Wherever motors may be located.

What I claim as new is 1. The combination with a pair of conductorsextending through a train, of a controller on each car interposedbetween said conductors, sul'istantially as described 2. The combinationwith a pair of conductors extending through a train, one of whichcontains current, of a controller on each car, interposed between saidconductors, one of said conductors being connected with the positiveside of the controller and the other with the negative side of thecontroller, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the motors of a train,of a pair of conductorsprovided through said train, one of which contains current and the otherof which is connected with the motor, and a motonco'ntroller on each caror a multiple number of the cars, which is interposed between the saidconductors, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a series of cars each of which is provided with amotor, and a pair of conductors, one of said conductors containingcurrent and the other connected with the motor-circuit On its car, anelectrical connection between the said conductors and a motor-controlleron each car interposed between said conductors, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with a pair of conductors extending through a car,one of which contains current, of a motor carried by the car andconnected with the other of said conductors and a controller betweensaid conductors and in series with the motor, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination of a series of cars coupled together, each or amultiple number of which is provided with a pair of conductors and amotor which is connected with one of the conductors, said conductorsbeing also coupled throughout the train, a supply-conductor, anelectrical connection on each car between said supply-conductor and oneof the pair of conductors, and a switch in each ofofsaidconnections,substantiallyasdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK C. ESMOND.

l/Vitnesses:

H. COUTANT, O. A. OoLLINs.

